Signing of USMCA Fails Canada Dairy Industry

Canada’s signing of the USMCA marks another instance of Prime Minister Trudeau failing the Canadian dairy sector, according to Dairy Farmers of Canada.

The group says Canada has gone “beyond the original concessions made when the USMCA was announced, and signed a deal granting the U.S. oversight in the administration of Canada’s dairy system.” This, according to the group, “equates to no less than a loss of sovereignty for Canada.”

USMCA grants an additional 3.9% Canadian market access to the U.S. and eliminates “competitive dairy classes,” according to the industry group. Once other recent trade deals come into effect, total dairy imports will make up close to 20% of the Canadian dairy market.

However, the deal was praised by U.S. dairy groups. U.S. Dairy Export Council CEO and former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USMCA “gives America’s dairy industry greater confidence as we head into 2019.”